Elections Today?

Interesting that you posted this Ash, we have the old fashioned system in our little one horse town also, and we were just talking about how that may not be all bad.

 

Not bad at all. The paper ballot/scanner voting system is reputed to be the most reliable and it has an easily verifiable paper trail for recounts. This is much better for many reasons than the ATM-type systems. In 02138 ("the world's most opinionated zip code") we have the kind where you take a black magic marker and complete the arrow. Then you bring this to a poll worker who feeds it into a scanner in front of you. Works great.

I'm leaving work now to go vote.


SW

 

There was a big thing about some of the polling stations up here having problems. Personally I didn't vote, and no it's not because I'm lazy or not registered, well actually I need to change my registration to Indiana but still. I have a problem voting for people who can do nothing but mudslinging, every tv ad up here is slinging the dirt about the other so in good concience I couldn't have voted for any of the candidates.

 

Here in the Big City, we also vote with paper and markers (called Inkavote).

 

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/2.0.4719/1378; en; U; ssr))

I'm in Tallahassee, and we still use the optical scanner... You just bubble the selection of choice and put the ballot in the scanner. Tallahassee has been on this system for 20 years, I think, with no problems. I heard that there was a debacle a long time ago that forced the change. I do like this system, although it's archaic. At least the system isn't broken here and i have no complaints.

 

That is what we have also, except we get to feed the scanner ourselves in front of the poll worker after he/she collects the ID no.

 

Wirelessly posted (Walkguru's: LG-CU500 Obigo/WAP2.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

Same here we feed the hungry thin

 

At my voting location I actually had a choice. I could have used a touch screen computer, or filled in a scan-tron card with a magic marker. I chose the scan-tron card because it is fun to put it in the machine. I always joke and say that I'm putting it in the shredder.

-jay

 

I chose option 2, as I requested & completed an Early Ballot, & went to my polling place & deposited it in the bin...

 

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/2.0.4719/1378; en; U; ssr))

I voted on Friday because the precinct that i'm supposed 2 vote at is inconvenient from my house. Some ballots got moist from the rain and had to be locked away and reinserted after the polls closed.

 

Delaware has a weird voting system. You pickup a card with your name, signature, and barcode on it. They put it in the machine, you pick who you want (electronically) and its recorded, and also punched onto the card. Best system out there IMO, we've never had any problems. These machines have been used since 96 I think, and they're great. Should be used everywhere.

 

We have mail in ballots. If you can go in person...I'm not aware as to where you actually do it.

I actually never even got my ballots... not sure if it's because we moved or what. Oh well. Have to re register anyway as we moved into a different county all together.

 

I also voted by mail.

And kjo, you are correct, Oregon is totally mail-vote. There are no polling places there anymore, with the possible exception of facilities for disabled persons.

 

One little side bonus is that people are so wrapped up in the election that they are totally ignoring Ebay. I've picked up some sweet deals this week.

-jay

 

Ah, in some cases it's state law that they have to check your ID.

 

We use the electronic wheel system here and I'd rather have the old system back. This new system actually causes slower voting and longer lines. I had to wait for over an hour to vote. This was the first time I ever had to wait in a line to vote. I heard the wait time was up to 2 hours in some polling stations here in So. Cal. Anyway I'm just glad the elections are over.

 

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/2.0.4719/1378; en; U; ssr))

There's a story that mentions that the governor of South Carolina was wrongly turned away because of the id laws there. I know that in Florida, the id laws has been here for a while.

 

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/2.0.4719/1378; en; U; ssr))

Me too... I would've been peeved if I had to wait 2 hours to vote because of problems.

 

We have been using the touch screen voting machine in our county/town for the last 3 elections (includes mid-term & Presidential), I believe we were 1 of the testing sites for the state and this year most if not all of NJ went to these units.

They are very easy to use, as long as the worker sets the machine up before and after each person votes, Sometimes I do wonder thought what really goes on behind the scenes with these machines & the data.

 

Like I said we had a choice. I used a scan-tron card and a friend of mine used the touch screen. I had my card filled out in under a minute. It took him 5 minutes because he was having problems with the machine. (Maybe it was OPD though, He's about 60).

 

Some people didn't want to wait and left without voting. They need to fix this problem for the future so that everyone who wants to vote can vote in a timely manner.

 

I would be curious to know how many people used the old mechanical voting machines. They had this huge red handle to flip which closed a curtain and allowed the votes to be cast. You then flipped levers to cast your vote, and then the votes were recorded and the levers returned to the up position when you pulled the red lever again to open the curtain. We used them in my town until about 5 years ago.

-Jay

 

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/2.0.4719/1378; en; U; ssr))

I'm thankful for early voting.

 

I am sad to say I didnt vote this time I felt bad because I wanted to.

 

same here, no need the id.

 

We use to use them till they started with the touch screen units about 6+ years ago, I wonder if they were like the card punching machines?